Page 276 of Her Reluctant Hero
“I tried to remember what you taught me but I couldn’t.”
His expression was grim. “Experience is the best teacher. Follow me. I’ll find a way out.”
“Can’t we just go out the way you came in?”
“We jumped in.”
Peyton stumbled and Gabe’s hand tightened around hers. He jumped. Into a fire. For her.
“You jumped? Out of a plane?”
“I had to get here in a hurry.”
“You hate to fly.”
“I don’t like it that much.”
“But you came.”
“I came.” The expression in his eyes said more than any kiss. He tugged at her hand, urging her along.
She squeezed his hand. Her heart, still pumping madly, swelled with love, but now was not the time to say anything more than, “Thank you.”
“What?”
“You’re getting us out of here, right?”
He raised her dirty-gloved fingers to his lips, kissed them without breaking stride. “I’m getting us out of here.”
He’d found her. Unbelievable. Not until he touched her did he realize he’d expected to lose her. The blood in her hair sent another wave of panic through him, but she seemed lucid. Now he had her and wasn’t letting go. He’d find a way to get her out of here.
The radios were useless—the mountain was between them and the base camp. He couldn’t count on someone else to direct them. His experience would get them back.
Doug hurried over to them. “We have to get over the ridge.”
“No.” Gabe didn’t slow. “The fire could spill over, or worse, overtake us while we’re climbing.” Like on Angel Ridge.
Doug looked as frustrated as Gabe felt. “How are we going to get back? The fire’s on both sides of us and in back of us. The only way to get out is ahead of us, up and over the ridge.”
“What was your escape route?” Gabe asked Peyton. He’d drilled that much sense into her.
“Back there.” She jerked her head. “But the fire had blown up by the time I woke up. Gabe, it was Kim.”
“I know.” The words squeezed out of his throat.
Doug sighed. “All right. Let’s keep moving until we can figure something else out.”
Gabe’s legs strained with the effort to move quickly, his shoulder ached from pulling Peyton along, though she did her best to keep up. His feet and knees hurt from his rough landing. He refused to let panic take him, though. That would kill them all for sure.
Ordinarily Gabe walked at the rear of his crew, ensuring they reached safety ahead of him. Today Peyton’s safety came first.
Shouts had them turning, but Gabe still pulled her uphill. Sheer force of will kept them upright.
Smoke billowed around them, obscuring the other smokejumpers, but worse, obscuring the fire. Gabe put himself between Peyton and the fire. The rest of the crew were no longer in sight. He hesitated a moment, considering going back after them, then turned around. They were trained firefighters. The best of the best, Jen would say.
“Come on!” he called to Peyton.
“Gabe, we can’t leave them!” The shock in her voice carried through the smoke.
